Opened food shelf-life

How long does opened food actually last?

Check a food, compare UK and US guidance, and save the day you opened it so you can stop guessing at the fridge door.

Stop guessing at the fridge door. Search a food, compare safety guidance, and save the opening date to your digital fridge.

12+ foods FSA Guidelines Local fridge tracker

Popular searches

1. Search

Type the food you actually have.

Sauces, leftovers, dips, cheeses, and staples are all fair game.

2. Compare

See the shelf-life window and spoilage signs.

The page explains what to look for, smell for, and feel for before eating.

3. Track

Save the opening date to your fridge list.

You get a simple countdown without accounts, forms, or app installs.

Retention Loop

Get helpful reminders for the food you open.

Get a weekly digest of what needs to be eaten in your fridge before it goes bad. No spam, just less food waste.

Get a weekly digest of what needs to be eaten in your fridge before it goes bad. No spam, just less food waste.

Condiments

Tomato Ketchup

UK guidance

Tomato ketchup is tracked at 180 days after opening when refrigerated. Unopened bottles belong in a cool, dark cupboard until the printed date.

Best quick answer

180 days

If opened today

Aim to use by 12 Oct 2026

What that means

This keeps longer, but cold storage and clean handling still matter.

Use this as a planning window, then check the real-world spoilage signs below before eating.

Storage note

Unopened ketchup can stay in a cool, dark cupboard until the best-before date. Once opened, this tracker assumes refrigeration and uses a conservative 6-month quality window based on common food-storage guidance.

Check before eating

Look

Mould under the cap or darkened crusting.

Smell

Sour or fermented smell.

Texture

Gas bubbles, heavy separation, or sliminess.

Freezing

No. Not recommended.

UK vs US

UK mode uses 180 days after opening. US mode uses 180 days after opening.

This item is tracked the same way in both UK and US mode.

FSA Guidelines is selected right now.

Source: UK FSA Guidelines & Manufacturer Expectations

Keep browsing

category-guide

Condiments: opened shelf-life guide

Also in Condiments

Green Pesto (Jar)

14 days after opening (UK)

Mayonnaise

60 days after opening (UK)

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Did you know?

UK households waste £599/year on binning safe opened food like this.

Source: UK food safety research & TossOrKeep user data

Cut waste further

People checking Tomato Ketchup usually need better storage, clearer labels, or a more visible fridge setup.

Airtight containers

Better storage helps reduce waste on quick-turn foods like dips and leftovers.

Date labels

Make the opened date visible so the fridge tracker matches the real container.

Fridge thermometer

Useful for longer-life items where stable cold storage matters.

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